The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-02-18

had committed the act.
Even his widowed mother, when he
declared his innocence to her, said to
him: "TOm, do not make matters
worse by denying your guilt. Confess
yoursins that youmay obtain forgive
ness OF God. would gladly
believe you innocent, but n
man who is capable Of one crime is
capable of another. ! q not trust
you since | know what a life you have
been leading" .
A feeling OF despair came over the
accused man under this weight OF sus-
piciOn.
"Have you come to condemn me,
too," he accosted his wife, when she
|! came to visit him in his cell. ''NO,
TOm," she answered mildly, II do
not condemn you. Let all the world BE-
Iieve you guilty, l know you are inno-
cent. You have your faults, but you
are incapable of committing the crime
you are charged with"
Those words overcame him. Gov
ering his face with his hands, he burst
into tears. ooh, Emma, Emma, |
have not deserved it" he cried. "You,
whom | have betrayed and deceived,
you stand by me. while everybody,
even my mother, forsakes me-"
That's what | am your wife for,
Tom" she replied, consolingIy. at
is my place to stand by you, and
Tom" she continued, DIS she took his
hand and pressed it to her heart, 81
have prayed that yourinnocence may
be proved, and l am confident that
my prayer will be answered"
One morning, in answer to a faint
rap, Emma opened her door, when
she beheld a man standing there whose
appearance caused her to draw back
in alright. He was evidently a
tramp, ragged, dirty, and hard look
ing. "Ii you please" he began timid-
ly, lis this the wife OF the MAI who is
accused Of murder?"
Emma nodded.
MAY l come in?" he asked. 81
have something important to tell
you"
Emma looked at him, doubtful as
to whether she could trust him. He
noticed this "You need not be afraid
of me-" he said. II am tough-looking
l dare say, and it's a tough life l am
leading. It's drink that's brought me
down. But | have not come down so
low yet that l would take the life OF a
fellow being, or l would not come to
tell you what l do"
At this Emma ventured to let him
in. Seating himself near the door anu
coughing slightly, by way Of clearing
his throat, he began: II accidental
ly heard that your husband was
accused Of the murder which was
committed a few days ago,
and that he pleads not guilty to the
charge. Now, | believe l can put
them on the track of the guilty party,
and thought it best to consult you
first, as you are naturally the most
interested"
Emma looked at him IN surprise.
"What proofs have you," she finally
asked, "for thinking that this party
OF whom you speak is gullty?"
"Well, num-" this man that l have
reference to is a bad lot, like myself,
only worse, and I believe he has COM
mitted more murders than one in his
life. Now, on the night ofthe murder,
| was sleeping in an old shed on
the outskirts OF the city, and
it must have been consider
ably after midnight, when I heard
some one coming to JOIN methere. He
did not notice me, however, but threw
himself into an opposite corner, and
l heard him muttering several times,
and by that I knew who it a At
daylight l got up and found him
asleep. Going up to him l saw that
his coat was despatched with blood.
"Aha!" thought /, ''he's been up to
some scrape. Then, when / heard OF
the murder I put things together and
l made up my mind that what l had
seen might be worth telling anyway"
A ray of hope lit up the face of the
hardly tried wife as she listened to
the words of the tramp. The latter's
statement led to the real perpetrator,
who when brought face to face with
convincing proofs, confessed all.
1t seems that Frank Mill, exasper.
ated by the insolent opportunities oil
the wretch, had kicked him from his
premises a few days before the muir.
der. And to revenge himself, the
tramp had waylaid him that night,
and with a club, which had been found
near the spot of the crime, had beaten
in his brains.
The fact of the watch and purse oil
the murdered man having been found
upon him was owing to the circum,
stance OF the murderer's having been
disturbed by an officer nearing just
as he was about to rob his victim.
Tom Perkins was released from Gus
tody. He tottered home and with.
out uttering q word fell upon his
wife's neck and wept as if bis
heart would break. The experience